Breastfeeding and Risk for Fever After Immunization

Abstract

WHAT'S KNOWN ON THIS SUBJECT:Immune response to some vaccines is different among breastfed infants compared with those who are not breastfed. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS:Breastfed infants are less likely to have fever after routine immunizations.abstract OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of breastfeeding on the risk for fever after routine immunizations. METHODS:A prospective cohort study was conducted at a pediatric vaccination center in Naples, Italy. The mothers of the infants scheduled to receive routine immunizations were instructed on how to measure and record infant temperature on the evening of the vaccination and for the subsequent 3 days. The information about the incidence of fever was obtained by telephone on the third day after vaccination. The relative risk for fever in relation to the type of breastfeeding was estimated in multivariate analyses that adjusted for vaccine dose, maternal education and smoking, and number of other children in the household. RESULTS:A total of 460 infants were recruited, and information on the outcome was obtained for 450 (98%). Fever was reported for 30 (25%), 48 (31%), and 94 (53%) of the infants who were being exclusively breastfed, partially breastfed, or not breastfed at all, respectively (P Ͻ .01). The relative risk for fever among infants who were exclusively and partially breastfed was 0.46 (95% confidence interval: 0.33-0.66) and 0.58 (95% confidence interval: 0.44 -0.77), respectively. The protection conferred by breastfeeding persisted even when considering the role of several potential confounders. CONCLUSIONS:In this study, breastfeeding was associated with a decreased incidence of fever after immunizations.

The Transfer of Drugs and Therapeutics Into Human Breast Milk: An Update on Selected Topics

“…123 Breastfeeding may also decrease the incidence of fever after infant immunization. 124 Therefore, the timing of infant feeding (including human milk) relative to immunization is not restricted, even for live vaccines, such as rotavirus.…”

Breast-Feeding and Responses to Infant Vaccines: Constitutional and Environmental Factors

“…Despite studies that breast-feeding had no effect on the incidence of fever, local reactions, and adverse behavior after DTP vaccines, 111 stress, pain, fever, irritability, and feeding disturbance are issues frequently encountered in relation to vaccines, with ample documentation showing the positive effects of breast-feeding. 112,113 Recently, Pisacane et al 114 confirmed a decreased incidence of fever after immunization with Infanrix HeXa (GlaxoSmithKline, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada) and Prevnar (Wyeth Lederle Vaccines SA, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium) associated with breast-feeding. Indeed, fever is one of the most common and reported postvaccine adverse events.…”

Fever-Induced Life-Threatening Arrhythmias in Children Harboring an SCN5A Mutation

“…tion. 18,19 Fever as an adverse event after immunization is reported for 1% to 10% of vaccine recipients but it can be as frequent as 30% to 70% among vaccine recipients who receive multiple vaccines. 20 Of the 8 vaccinations received by the index patient and her sibling (including the novel H1N1 influenza vaccine and the vaccines in the Dutch childhood immunization schedule), 4 (50%) vaccines were followed by fever.…”